Early school start times make for quiet beaches, roads

The sands at June White Decker Park Beach were pretty bare this week as local families prepared to send children back to school.

JENNIE McKEON | Daily News

By JENNIE McKEON / Daily News

Published: Thursday, August 14, 2014 at 05:24 PM.

As school starts, it's typical for the local tourism to slow. While local schools have a later start date compared to previous years, it looks like surrounding southeast schools are starting earlier.

But visitors from other states are taking advantage of these weeks where the crowds are low and the sun is still out.

The Gonzales family, from Dallas, Texas are enjoying their last few days vacation before school starts August 18.

“This time of year, there's not as many people compared to June and July,” said Diana Gonzales. “During those months, there's no rooms, no parking. This is our preferred time to come.”

Director of Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council Ed Schroeder says the month of August is never as strong as June and July.

“The shrinking that comes from school starting has a huge impact,” he said. “It's usually about August 17 where we go from high demand to moderate.”

But over the years, Schroeder said it's not necessarily early start dates that change the local tourism economy, but visitors booking their own vacations.

“In the past 10 to 15 years, there's been a shorter and shorter window for travel bookings,” he said. “My folks would never book a vacation on their own, they would use a travel agent. But now, visitors are waiting more to book vacations so they can time their stay for good weather.”

Marvin and Margaret Mayo from Moody, Alabama decided to change their usual vacation plans from Panama City to Destin for the first time this year.

Along for the ride are their great-niece and great-nephew, Jaxon and Jillian, who start school Monday.

“Jaxon and I share the same birthday, September 20,” said Margaret. “So we like to take a special trip since school's in session during his birthday. We love it here.”

Sarah Giles and her family are in town from Ohio to attend a friend's beach wedding.

"It's been nice, no crowds," she said. "We were thinking we should even stay an extra week before the kids go back to school August 25."

While the crowds might not be as large, they still have some staying power, Schroeder said.

“We already have early bookings for this year's Labor Day and the folks that spend every summer here have already made 2015 bookings,” he said.

“Tourism is not going to drop off a cliff. This many bookings is a good sign.”

BACK TO SCHOOL AROUND THE SOUTH: Traffic was lighter and beaches emptier this week, as children around the Southeast headed back to school. Here's a few start dates from our frequent visitors’ states.

As school starts, it's typical for the local tourism to slow. While local schools have a later start date compared to previous years, it looks like surrounding southeast schools are starting earlier.

But visitors from other states are taking advantage of these weeks where the crowds are low and the sun is still out.

The Gonzales family, from Dallas, Texas are enjoying their last few days vacation before school starts August 18.

“This time of year, there's not as many people compared to June and July,” said Diana Gonzales. “During those months, there's no rooms, no parking. This is our preferred time to come.”

Director of Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council Ed Schroeder says the month of August is never as strong as June and July.

“The shrinking that comes from school starting has a huge impact,” he said. “It's usually about August 17 where we go from high demand to moderate.”

But over the years, Schroeder said it's not necessarily early start dates that change the local tourism economy, but visitors booking their own vacations.

“In the past 10 to 15 years, there's been a shorter and shorter window for travel bookings,” he said. “My folks would never book a vacation on their own, they would use a travel agent. But now, visitors are waiting more to book vacations so they can time their stay for good weather.”

Marvin and Margaret Mayo from Moody, Alabama decided to change their usual vacation plans from Panama City to Destin for the first time this year.

Along for the ride are their great-niece and great-nephew, Jaxon and Jillian, who start school Monday.

“Jaxon and I share the same birthday, September 20,” said Margaret. “So we like to take a special trip since school's in session during his birthday. We love it here.”

Sarah Giles and her family are in town from Ohio to attend a friend's beach wedding.

"It's been nice, no crowds," she said. "We were thinking we should even stay an extra week before the kids go back to school August 25."

While the crowds might not be as large, they still have some staying power, Schroeder said.

“We already have early bookings for this year's Labor Day and the folks that spend every summer here have already made 2015 bookings,” he said.

“Tourism is not going to drop off a cliff. This many bookings is a good sign.”

BACK TO SCHOOL AROUND THE SOUTH: Traffic was lighter and beaches emptier this week, as children around the Southeast headed back to school. Here's a few start dates from our frequent visitors’ states.